GARCÍA RUBIO, SARA LÓPEZ GARCÍA, SILVIA

REDONDO ROSELL, Mª LUZ RONCERO MENASALVAS, MIRIAM

• INTRODUCTION

• TELLING A NEW STORY

• READING A STORY TO VERY YOUNG LEARNERS

• WAYS TO RETELL A STORY

• RETELLING A STORY AS A CLASS

Stories can be used later on to practise listening, speaking,

reading and writing

THE VALUE OF STORIES FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING

REMEMBER…

TELL A STORY

• Speak spontaneously

• Use natural intonation

• Look at the children to check if they understand

• Use gestures with face and body

• Practise first and have some support

• Don’t need to worry if you make some mistake

READ A STORY

• Repeat and rephrase in a natural way.

• Stop and talk to the children about what is happening.

• Stop and show pictures and talk about them.

• Talk to individuals about an aspect of the story

To revise words and introduce

some new words.

To think about the way you are going

to catch your pupil’s attention.

You can use picture flashcarsds or other

support material and your own

actions.

You can use different voices for

each character.

As teachers, before telling a new story we have to take in account:

SOME TEACHERS ARRANGE THEIR CLASS DIFFERENTLY FOR STORY TIME

Who…? questions

What…? questions

How/ Why do you think…?questions

Prepare different questions and promps about the story

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ACTIVITY 1. Listen to the story, and answer the questions

WHEN YOU TELL A NEW STORY TO CHILDREN WHO ARE JUST BEGINNIG TO LEARN ENGLISH YOU CAN:

WHEN TELLING A STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME TO ANY GROUP OF CHILDREN:

Use actions, gestures, pictures or other support material

Let the children predict what they think will happen next

Change, leave out bits and add to a story to make it more suitable for your

class.

If there is something important that children don’t

understand, explain the problem in their mother

tongue and then say it again in English.

Practise repeating

phrases and adding

questions for the

children.

Practise using your voice for

characters.

Involve the children as

much as possible.

Speak to them and

look at them when you are telling the story.

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TELLING AND PERFORMING A STORY WITH VERY YOUNG LEARNERS

Body language, gestures and

actions

Children act and perform

Connect the language they are hearing with what

they are doing.

ACTIVITY 2. Listen to the story and copy your teacher’s gestures.

http://www.turtlediary.com/kids-stories/the-little-fish.html

• WHEN WE TELL A STORY TO CHILDREN WE CAN HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND IT BY:

Using books with pictures

Repeating key words and phrases

Children…

Repeat the phrases that the teacher use.

Talk a lot in their mother tongue about what they can see in the pictures.

1. Moving away from the text.

The teacher asks questions related to the context of the story to increase the children’s interest. For example… The three little pigs

What is your favourite animal?

2. Talking about what is happening.

Children enjoy repeating the same kind of language that was used in other parts of the story.

They feel confident

• Read the story several times before you use it in class.

• Prepare the questions you are going to ask.

• Prepare the comments you are going to do about the picture.

• Keep all the stories you read in your reading corner.

• ACTIVITY 3. Listen to Elmer the elephant’s story.

• ACTIVITY 4. Choose one picture and take turns to roll the die. Match the number to the colours below your pictures and colour all of the squares. The first one colouring Elmer wins the game!

When we retell a story… • Children will be more confortable with the story

language. • Children will be more participative. • Children will participate in different ways. There are two ways to retell a story:

Listening to the story again

Reading the story a second

time

Check if children remember the argument.

Mime actions about the story.

Choose a/some actors for acting with us.

Organize the story with flashcards.

WHEN CHILDREN ARE LISTENING TO THE STORY AGAIN, WE CAN…

Show pictures from the story.

In groups, playing only the main character.

Check children’s attention with mistakes.

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Flash cards with words

from the story

Cards with short sentences from

the story

ACTIVITY 5. Organize Elmer’s story in the correct order with the next sentences.

Elmer was different: it was a color elephant.

The elephants enjoyed with Elmer

After this, all elephants dressed up with colours.

ACTIVITY 6. Now we are actors. What story is it?

ACTIVITY 7. In groups, think about the Three Little Pigs Story. Imagine what would have happen from the Wolf’s point of view.

ACTIVITY 8. Read The true story of the three little pigs.